Self-unloading trailer



March 10, 1942. OKLEJAS I SELF-UNLOADING TRAILER Filed April 5, 1941 6 Sheets-Sheet ZZZ 028M J INVENT 0R.

A TTORNEYS.

March 10, 1942. E. OKLEJAS I 2,275,799

. SELF-UNLOADING TRAILER- Filed April 5, 1941 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 I N VEN TOR.

A TTORN March 10, 1942. OKLEJAS 2,275,799

SELF-UNLOADING TRAILER Eli akzflj dd' I N VEN TOR.

A TTORNEYS.

March 10, 1942; E. OKLEJAS SELF-UNLOADING TRAILER Filed April 5, 1941 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 a u-w ATTORNEYS.

E. O-KLEJAS SELF-UNLOADING TRAILER F'lled Aprll 3, 1941 6 SheetS -Sheet 5 March 10, 1942.

ATTORNEYS.

March 10, 1942.

E.OKLEJAS SELF-UNLOADING TRAILER Filed April 3, 1941 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 INVENTOR;

ATTORNEYS.

Patented Mar. 10, 1942 no SITES PATNT OFFICE 2 Claims.

This invention aims to provide novel means for unloading material from a trailer or truck, and especially, to supply novel means for imparting motion to an upwardly inclined and rearwardly extended auxiliary conveyer, which is mounted for lateral swinging adjustment and for vertical swinging adjustment.

A further object of the invention is to provide novel means for operating, in consonance with the auxiliary conveyer, a main conveyer which delivers material to the auxiliary conveyer.

It is within the province of the disclosure to improve generally and to enhance the utility of devices of that type to which the present invention appertains.

With the above and other objects in view, which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed, may be made within the scope of what is claimed, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 shows in side elevation, a device constructed in accordance with the invention, embodied in a trailer, parts being broken away;

Fig. 2 is a top plan, wherein parts are broken away;

Fig. 3 is a cross section on the line 33 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a side elevation showing the means for mounting and controlling the auxiliary conveyer, parts being sectioned away;

Fig. 5 is a section on the line 55 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a section on the line 6-6 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 7 is a section on the line 7-1 of Fig.

Fig. 8 is a section on the line 8-8 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 9 is a top plan showing a slightly modified form of the invention;

Fig. 10 is a side elevation of the structure depicted in Fig. 9.

In Figs. 1 to 8 of the drawings, there is shown a trailer, comprising a frame I. Rear ground wheels appear at 2. The numeral 3 marks any appropriate or conventional means whereby the trailer may be connected to a towing vehicle (not shown). When the trailer is not in use, it is supported at its forward end by any suitable prop structure 4, appearing in Fig. 1.

On the frame I of the trailer are mounted any desired number of bins 5, located one behind the other. Movable division plates 6 are employed,

to separate the bins into as many'compartments as may be considered expedient. The bins 5 are provided, as shown in Fig. 3, for example, with reduced, depending outlet spouts I, the bins being sustained from the frame I by side braces 8 and by end braces and I80.

Figures 3 and 6 show that transverse guides 9 are located in the spouts l of the bins 5, gates II) being mounted for horizontal reciprocation on the guides 9. It appears in Fig. 3 that the frame I, at one side, is supplied with laterally outstanding brackets I I, screws I2 being held against longitudinal movement, but for rotation, in the brackets. The screws I2 are threaded into depending lugs I4 on the gates Ill. Hand wheels I5 on the outer ends of the screws lz'constitute a convenient means for rotating the screws, to advance and retract the gates II].

A box-like conveyer frame I6 (Figs. 1 and 3) extends lengthwise of the trailer, the conveyer frame being disposed below the main frame I of the vehicle, and being secured thereto. The conveyer frame I6 has inwardly projecting upper flanges II, and inwardly projecting intermediate flanges I8, the flanges I8 being located between the bottom of the conveyer frame and the flanges I1. Horizontal main rollers II! are located between the flanges I8 (Fig. 3) and are supported for rotation at their ends in those flanges. Supplementary rollers 20 are disposed at the ends of each main roller I9, and have an upward slant, the supplementary rollers being supported for rotation in the intermediate flanges I8 and in the side walls of the conveyer frame I6.

At its sides and near its forward end, the conveyer frame I6 carries belt tighteners 2|, which are shown in Fig. 1. In the belt tighteners 2|, a shaft 22 is mounted for rotation. A shaft 23 is journaled in the rear end of the conveyer frame I6. The shafts 22 and 23 carry rollers I23 (Fig. 4). A main belt conveyer 24 is engaged about the rollers I23 of the shafts 22--23 the upper run of the belt conveyer traversing the rollers I9 and 20 of Fi 3. The rollers 20 dish the belt conveyer 24 crosswise, that it may better carry the material discharged upon it from the spouts I of the bins 5.

As to the means for actuating the main conveyer 24, a prime mover 25, for example a small internal combustion engine, is mounted on the rear part of the main frame I. The engine 25 is coupled in the conventional way to a speed change mechanism 26, under the control of an operator and carried by the frame I (Fig. 1). The speed change mechanism 26 includes a laterally projecting shaft 2'! (Figs. 5 and 7). The shaft 21 is supported for rotation in a bearing 28 carried by the main frame. A chain and sprocket drive 29 connectsthe shaft 21 with the driving shaft 23 for the main conveyer 24, the shaft 23 being coupled to the shaft 22 by means of a chain and sprocket drive 30.

Consulting Figs. 1, 4 and 5, it is shown that an angular foot bracket 3! is mounted on the rear end of the frame l6 for the main conveyer 24. The rear brace 88 carries a cooperating bracket 32. The numeral 33 marks a post supplied at its lower end with a transverse, rearwardly projecting offset 34. The lower end of the offset 34 is joined integrally to the upper rail of a loop-shaped foot or carrier 35 (Fig. 5), the foot being mounted at 85, intermediate its ends, to rotate in the bracket 3 l. The upper end of the post 33 is mounted at 83 to rotate. in the bracket 32. Referring to Fig. 4, the bottom rail of the foot 35 carries a forwardly extended bearing member 33, wherein a transverse shaft 31 is journaled.

An auxiliary conveyer frame 38 is mounted at its forward end to swing vertically on the shaft 31 and extends rearwardly through the loopshaped foot 35. At its rear end, the frame 31 has a depending spout 33. Noting Fig. 8, it will be seen that the auxiliary frame 38, in cross section, is constructed like the main conveyer like the main conveyer 24. The main conveyer 24 (Fig. 4) discharges on the auxiliary conveyer 42.

The means for swinging the auxiliary belt conveyer frame 38 upwardly and downwardly, at the will of an operator, includes a bail M (Fig. 2), having its side arms pivotally assembled with the auxiliary conveyer frame 38, and, if desired, the pivoting means may be the shaft 4|. In its intermediate forward portion, the bail 44 carries a she-ave 45, about which is rove a flexible element 46. One end'of the flexible element 46 is anchored at ll to the bracket 32 on the brace 86. The lower run of the flexible element 46 is rove over a sheave 48-, mounted to turn in the post 33. From the sheave 48, the flexible element 46 proceeds downwardly, and is wound about a winch drum 49, the shaft 58 of the drum being mounted to rotate in a rearwardly projecting yoke 5! on the brace 85. The winch shaft 58 is rotated by means of a crank 52 (Fig. 5), retrograde rotation of the winch drum 49 being prevented by a pawl and ratchet mechanism 53.

The auxiliary conveyer frame 38 may be swung up and down, for adjustment, on the shaft 31. A lateral swinging movement of the frame 38 requires that the post 33 and its foot 35 be mounted for rotation with respect to a vertical axis. Since the engine 25 and associated parts are fixed, and do not participate in the aforesaid movements of the post 33 and the conveyor frame 38, a novel means is supplied for driving the auxiliary conveyer 82 from the engine.

From the shaft 21 of the speed change'mechanism 26 (Fig. l), a chain and sprocket drive 54- (Fig. 1) imparts rotation to a short horizontal shaft 55 (Fig. 5) which is mounted to turn in a box-like gear casing 55. The gear casing 55 is held fixed, because, as shown in Fig. 4, it is joined to the brace 88 by a connection 51. At its upper end, the gear casing 56 has a stub shaft 58, on which the lower end of the post 33 is rotatable.

A second or lower gear casing 53 is seated in the lower part of the post offset 34, and is secured thereto as indicated at 68. The second gear casing 59 is equipped with an upstanding neck 6|, journaled on a depending neck 82 on the lower part of the fixed upper gear casing 56. Recalling that the foot 35 is attached, by way of the offset 3-3, to the post 33, it will be seen that the foot 35 turns with the post about a vertical axis represented by the depending neck 62 of the upper gear casing 55 and the lower pivot of the foot.

In the upper part of the upper gear casing 56, and in the depending neck (52 of the gear casing, a vertical shaft 33 is journaled. The shaft 63 derives rotation from the shaft 55 by way of intermeshing beveled gears. (it, located in the gear casing 555. On one upper corner of the foot 35 there is a bearing 65. A shaft 55., disposed parallel to the shaft 2?, is journaled in the bearing 65 and in the lower gear casing 59. The shafts 63 and 66 are operatively connected by intermeshing beveled gears 81.

In one lower corner of the foot 35 (Figs. 5 and l), a shaft 68 is journaled. The shaft 68 derives motion from the shaft 66 by way of a chain and sprocket connection 69. The shaft 68 is operatively connected with the shaft 3?, on which the auxiliary conveyer frame 33 may be swung vertically, by a chain and sprocket connection 33. The shafts 31 and M, which carry the auxiliary conveyer 42, are operatively connected by a chain and sprocket drive 18.

The actuating train for the main, horizontal conveyer 24 in the conveyer frame l6 includes the engine 25, the speed chan e mechanism 25, the shaft 2'! of the speed change mechanism (Fig. 5), the chain and sprocket drive 29 (Fig. 1), the chain and sprocket mechanism 30, and the shafts 22 and 23. The driving train for the auxiliary conveyer 32 in the frame 38 includes the engine 25, the speed change mechanism 25, the shaft 21 of that mechanism, the chain and sprocket drive 5 5, the shaft the intermeshing beveled gears 63, the shaft 63, the intermeshing beveled gears 67, the shaft 55, the chain and sprocket drive 65, the chain and sprocket drive 99, and the chain and sprocket drive '46.

The auxiliary conveyer frame 38- may be swung laterally about a vertical axis represented in Fig. 4 by the pivot elements 83. and 85 of the post 33 and the foot 35, respectively.

The auxiliary frame 38: may be swung up wardly and downwardly, within the foot 35, by a mechanism including the winch drum 49, the flexible element 46, and the associated parts.

As to gross operation, the material in thebins 5 flows downwardly through the spouts 1 (Fig. 3), under the governance of the gates 18, and is received on the upper run of the horizontally moving main conveyer 24. The conveyer 24 (Fig. 4) discharges on the auxiliary conveyer 42 and material is carried upwardly and rearwardly in the conveyer frame 38, the material being discharged through the spout 39 of Fig. 1.

It is not necessary that the'delivery structure be embodied in a trailer. Figures 9 and 10 show it incorporated in a truck. In Figs. 9 and 10, parts hereinbefore described have been designated by numerals already used, with the suffer a.

The shaft 22a at the forward end of the main conveyer 24a is connected by a chain and sprocket drive 12 to a transverse shaft 13, journaled on the truck frame la and in a gear casing 14 supported from the truck frame. The propelling engine for the truck is marked by the numeral 15 and operates a shaft 76, extended longitudinally of the truck frame. The propelling engine for the truck is marked by the numeral '15 and oper ates a shaft '16, extended longitudinally of the truck frame. The shaft '16 is disposed at right angles to the shaft I3, and is coupled to that shaft by intermeshing beveled gears 77 in the gear casing 14, a clutch 78 being interposed in the shaft 16. The clutch 18 is operated by a throw lever 19, fulcrumed intermediate its ends on a part of the truck frame la. The forward end of a link 8! is pivoted to the throw lever 19, the rear end of the link bein pivoted to a crank arm 82 on the intermediate portion of a transverse shaft 86, mounted to rock on the truck frame la.

At one end, the shaft 86 i provided witha crank arm 81, to which is pivoted the forward end of a link 88, the rear end of the link being pivoted to a crank arm 89 on a transverse shaft 90, mounted to rock in the truck frame la, the shaft 90 being supplied at its ends with handle 9|, so located that the operator can throw the clutch 18 in and out, and operate the speed change mechanism 26a, without changing his position.

The form shown in Figs. 9 and 10 presents no characteristic peculiarity, aside from the fact that power is derived from the engine 15, rather than from the engine 25 of Fig. 1.

What is claimed is:

1. Unloading mechanism comprising a vehicle, an upper gear casing secured to the vehicle, an upright post having its lower end mounted to rotate on the upper gear casing, the post having an offset spanning the upper gear casing, an open carrier having its upper end connected to the offset, a lower gear casing secured in the offset and mounted to rotate on the upper gear casing, a conveyer frame extended through the carrier, means for mounting the frame on the carrier for vertical swinging movement, a conveyer traversing the frame, and mechanism for operating the conveyer, said mechanism comprising gearing located in the gear casings.

2. Unloading mechanism comprising a vehicle, an upper gear casing secured to the vehicle, an upright post having its lower end mounted to rotate on the upper casing, the post having an offset spanning the upper casing, a loop-shaped foot having its upper end connected to the offset, a forwardly extended bearing member secured to the lower portion of the foot, a lower gear casing secured to the offset and mounted to rotate on the upper casing, a frame extended through the foot, means for mounting the frame on the forward portion of the bearing member for vertical swinging movement, a conveyer traversing the frame, an upright shaft disposed in axial alinement with the post and supported for rotation in both casings, a lateral shaft supported, for rota- 

